'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
What's the story?
Dave Batista is well-known for expressing gratitude towards wrestlers who helped him and The Animal showed gratitude towards a WWE producer he calls an "unsung hero."
Batista praised Finlay on Twitter for his wrestling ability and for "changing the direction" of his career.
In case you didn't know
Finlay currently works as a WWE producer but rose to fame in the British independent scene before being signed by WCW in 1995.
He feuded with Norman Smiley, Booker T, William Regal and a variety of well-known WCW talent before leaving the company in 2000 and signing with WWE as a trainer before returning to the ring in 2005.
The heart of the matter
This unexpected celebration of Finlay's skills occurred when Twitter user Italo Santana tweeted about a match from 2006 where Batista defended the World Heavyweight Championship against Finlay and Booker T.
After seeing the tweet, Batista went out of his way to praise the former WWE Superstar for being extremely modest about his talent and stated that Finlay helped turn his career in a different direction.
Natalya would respond by saying Finlay was an incredible wrestler and coach.
Batista and Finlay first faced off at the July 2006 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event when Batista, Bobby Lashley and Rey Mysterio teamed up to fight the team of Finlay, King Booker and Mark Henry.
Their first singles match together would happen towards the end of the year at the November 6 edition of Friday Night SmackDown.
Their last singles match took place just before Batista left WWE and before Finlay returned to the independent scene before becoming a producer.
What's next?
Batista was rumored to face Triple H next year at WrestleMania 35, but the injury Triple H sustained at WWE Crown Jewel may keep him out of action past the big pay-per-view.
The former World Champion hasn't expressed any interest in other members of the roster, so if it is doubtful whether he'll be apart of WrestleMania next year.
